Apparatus for reading a document and processing the image

Claim 1

An image processing apparatus comprising: reading means for reading an original document to produce an image signal, said reading means being capable of reading a plurality of pixels in a main scan direction; scanning means for reciprocatingly scanning the original document by relatively reciprocating said reading means in a sub-scan direction; recognizing means for discriminating between (1) a first area where the original document is present and (2) a second area where the document is not present, on the basis of the image signal from said reading means; detecting means for detecting an image density level in the first area; and conversion means for converting the image signals from said reading means into reproduction signals on the basis of the image density level detected by said detecting means, wherein said recognizing means recognizes the first area on the basis of the image signal obtained from said reading means while said scanning means moves said reading means forward, and said detecting means detects an image density level on the basis of the image signal in the first area obtained from said reading means while said scanning means moves said reading means backward.